Psychology 05 happiness facts

Who is happy? • Suppose you have self-report happiness ratings and “objective” demographic information about a large sample of Americans Demographic information includes “factual” information about age, income, sex, race, level of education, status of job, ratings of physical attractiveness, geographic region, and size of city in the U.S where they lived, marital status, status of residence (own a home or rent), age of children (if any), and religious affiliation/church attendance (if any) Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved •1 Make a list of demographic variables (at least 4) that you think would describe the happiest people in the sample •2 Make a list of demographic variables (at least 4) that you think would describe the least happy people in the sample •3 Why you believe the demographic variables you picked would influence a person’s level of happiness and distinguish between the happiest and least happy people? Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved Happiness and the Facts of Life Early survey research & bottom-up theories of well-being: A Bottom-Up theories – Situational Determinants (State) - Happiness is state of fulfilled needs - unhappiness unfulfilled - All human have basic needs - like all living organisms (Maslow) - More needs that are met – more satisfied/happy B Why are some people happier than others? State explanation: Accumulation of “Advantages” More positive events & experiences during day, week, life Happy marriage, good job, attractive, educated, healthy, fun hobbies, spend life pursuing….do they matter? Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved I Demographics & Well-being Research - Only 8-15% or so of differences in happiness between people associated with demographic differences (extreme poverty exception) - No age, class, income, level of education, race, etc.…happier than others - Contradicts beliefs about life stages and life events Adolescence & Old Age College or Post-graduate Life Turning points – empty nest & mid-life crisis Despite widespread beliefs to the contrary: No stage of life is happier or unhappier than another Most events have less emotional impact than we think Christmas effect - not as exciting as thought I will die effect = not as bad as thought Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved II Beliefs: Affective Forecasting Do we know what will make us happy in advance? Examples of exaggerated expectations? Compare people’s predictions about effect of event to people’s actual responses to events A Impact Bias – consistent exaggerated predictions about intensity and duration of emotion Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved Things will be wonderful once: Get tenured, spring break comes, graduate from college, get a good job, build the new house, get married, etc… I will just die if: Romance fails, get divorced, lose my job, get a C in this class Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved Positive events: more disappointment - not turn out quite as well as thought Negative events: more relief - not turn out as bad as thought Bottom line: never know…could be good could be a bust Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved B Research - Tenure does not increase happiness - Older people not less happy than younger - Californians not happier or more satisfied with life than Midwesterners despite belief among both & despite greater satisfaction with weather in California - Location & physical characteristics of dorms unrelated to satisfaction despite staying up all night to hear dorm assignment Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved C Explanations for Impact Bias Focalism – restrict attention to event in question and ignore consequences and context of event – e.g., new job versus leaving friends and hassles of finding place to live etc… Immune Neglect – failure to appreciate our resilience in face of negative events – e.g., supportive friends Focusing Illusion – make a summary judgment about entire issue or event by only looking at single or few features of the event Too much weight to too few aspects – e.g., weather & dorm location Isolation Effect - Cancel out, don’t consider what event or issue has in common that may be most important – e.g., friends in dorm, quality of school, job opportunities, relationships Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved How should we think about future emotional events? Can we know in advance what will make us happy? Assume impact bias true - (not that events have no important impact) Are most of our strong emotions connected to the anticipation of an event rather than the event itself? Is imagination stronger than reality? What effect, function or value (positive or negative) our anticipated future emotional reactions play in the present? Would you want to reduce or eliminate the impact bias? Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved Explanations Genetic temperament Frequency & intensity of emotions Teens versus elderly - simple averaging Mellowing of emotions with age – constant versus big swings Experience of emotions differs, but overall happiness – same Balance of positive & negative emotions Negative emotions – decline with age Positive emotions, mixed but don’t change or only a little Intensity declines Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved Socioemotional Selectivity Theory Time left in life and selection of goals, activities, regulation of emotions When are you young? When are you old? Focus? Research supporting socioemotional selectivity theory: - Elderly not disengage, not depressed, anxious, etc… - Maximize positive/minimize negative - quirks - Elderly more investment in fewer relationships…people you can count on…(consequence of time left) - Not interested in new friends, getting ahead, dominating others Enjoy being unplugged from rat race - Less conflict more satisfaction in marriage than younger adults - Better at emotional regulation…not overly excited about events, let go of negative emotions Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved IV Paradox of Gender and Happiness Paradox of Gender –emotional life of men and women very different yet similar levels of overall happiness and life satisfaction A Differences Women – higher rates of internalizing mood disorders: anxiety & depression Differences show up by early adolescence Higher frequency & intensity of emotional experience and expression than men More reactive to emotional events Men – higher externalizing emotions, anger, drug abuse, physical aggression Less expressive of emotions Women express – men repress Aggression – mixed…men more physical but women more relational aggression…conclusion depends on how define aggression Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved B How Explain Apparent Paradox Surveys average out women’s intense positive & negative • Women are more “emotional” – in any given survey very happy may cancel out unhappy Gender stereotypes – people affirm that women emotional men not • Differences in expression more apparent than real? I.e., experience emotions as “supposed” to rather than actually do? • Research: On-line versus recall of emotional experiences Greater gender differences in recall…few for on-line How recall affected by stereotypes of how “supposed” to have reacted Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved Eudaimonic View Women “healthier” in measures of positive growth and relationships • Emotionality does not suggest “unhealthy.” Co-existence of strengths and weaknesses Men not as strong in relationships – less sensitive and empathetic • Diminished social well-being compared to women Emotionality & positive relationships…connected? • Insensitivity of men – less emotional life? • Sensitivity of women – more emotional life – more vulnerable to emotions of others? Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved V Marriage & Happiness One demographic that matters – (quality critical) A Survey research: Marriage one of strongest predictors of happiness - Americans & Europeans – married people on average happier than never-marrieds, divorced, separated, or widowed - Myers: 40% of married say very happy versus 26% never-married - Majority say happy; spouse is best friend and would marry same person again Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved B Benefits of Marriage Fundamental human need – Baumesiter belongingness Like food & water… nutrient for life…caring relationship Friendship, social support, mental health Sharing life’s burdens, affection in times of crisis - end of marriage major link to negative outcomes Isolated & lonely higher rates of distress & mental illness Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved Benefits - continued Married enjoy better physical & emotional health (men especially) Marriage quality critical – Drug abuse, conflict, abuse, affairs, jealousy, dominance, defensiveness, resentment, emotional neglect, etc., linked to unhappiness and distress “Bad marriage worse than no marriage at all.” C Which came first – happiness or marriage? Happy people more desirable partners more likely to get married? Selection effects – some evidence, but small… Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved D Adaptation to Marriage… Does the Honeymoon Last? Lucas, Clark, Georgellis, & Diener - 15 year study of 24,000 people - Germany - Measured: Pre- and post-marriage levels of happiness & happiness every year for 15 years Pre- and post-happiness of widows Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved - Found: Small boast in happiness after marriage (one tenth on 11-pt scale This small gain faded in subsequent years of marriage Widowed showed long-term decreases in happiness – rebounded but not to pre-widow levels Strong individual differences (wash-out effect): About 50% of married increased long-term levels of happiness About 50% were far less happy Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved Hedonic Leveling - Most satisfied people had least positive reaction to getting married and most negative reaction to divorce & widowhood Happy person has less to gain from marriage and most to lose - Unhappy people had strongest positive reactions to marriage and less negative to divorce & widowhood Unhappy people benefit most from marriage and suffer less from widowhood and divorce Overall effect: hedonic leveling Differences in impact of marriage/death in population “leveled” by initial differences in happiness Big individual difference effects leveled or washed out of overall averages Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved Eudaimonic View -Too much focus on happiness in marriage Health more important – healthy marriages involve conflict necessary for growth & development, i.e., willingness to be unhappy Unhappiness at one point in time leads to greater happiness later Health & happiness not the same thing Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved VI Other Facts - Physical & Mental Health Poor mental health always connected with unhappiness - e.g., depression Physical health if extreme, terminal, long-term Self-reported health and well-being r =.32 But adaptation…objective condition & subjective evaluation r =.16 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved Other Facts Unemployment Potential to produce long-term decreases in well-being IQ & Education Smart people happier…no Education…small positive advantage more education-happier Effect caused by increased job satisfaction…get better job that is more personally expressive Religion 90-95% of Americans believe in God or higher power 67% go to church or synagogue Small positive correlation between religion and happiness Moderate to strong with physical health and longevity Social and inner support Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved More Facts Race, Ethnicity & Stigma • Unhappy victims of stereotypes, prejudice, and stigma? • African Americans – somewhat lower levels of happiness, but still in positive range happy – no differences in self-esteem • Studies from children to adults • Differences due to economic inequality and higher poverty rates not race per se • Asian, Hispanic, & Native Americans have lower self-esteem than whites or blacks??? Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved ... level of happiness and distinguish between the happiest and least happy people? Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved Happiness and the Facts. .. 24,000 people - Germany - Measured: Pre- and post-marriage levels of happiness & happiness every year for 15 years Pre- and post -happiness of widows Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper... leads to greater happiness later Health & happiness not the same thing Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458  All rights reserved VI Other Facts - Physical &